I do not own anything from Harry Potter. That goes to J.K. Rowlings. I only own Avery James.

-Three Months Later-

(Day of Slughorn's Christmas Party)

Avery came down from her room that was in a different part of the dormitory than the other. It had been charmed so no one could get in unless they had her permission. The past couple months she slowly started talking to her classmates. She talked to Draco as well, when he was alone that is.

Avery entered the commons and sighed, seeing that it was empty. She was wearing a black three quarter sleeve shirt that had a square neckline and a pair of black jeans on. Her waist length hair was pulled over her shoulder and braided. The term had just ended so she was relieved that she did not have to carry a bag.

"Your up late," the voice of Draco made her turn and she saw him coming out of his dorm.

"No classes," Avery smiled as they left the dungeon to go eat. Half the students were already gone for the holidays. "I got to sleep in."

"Oh look at Potter, he seems happy," Draco spoke sarcastically and Avery laughed seeing the boy glaring at them. "Must think you joined the Dark Lord."

"I'm on my own side," Avery spoke calmly as they sat down at a random place on the Slytherin table. "I have a question that's been on my mind for a while?"

"What's that?" Draco looked at her as she picked up a piece of toast.

"Is it true you knocked potter out on the train, planning for him to be taken back to london?"

"Yeah, broke his nose too. That Lovegood girl found him though," Draco snorted.

"Pity," Avery frowned.

"Why do you hate him?"

"He complains about living with his uncle who's a muggle," Avery snorted. "I'm not even allowed to live with father at the moment. All documents of him being my father are lost so I'm stuck at a foster home, surrounded by muggles and cannot say a word about what I am. Where do you sneak off to at night? I've seen you on the seventh floor coming down from the observatory tower several times."

"Nightly walks, clears my head," Draco replied as they started eating.

"Miss James, you seem to be adjusting well," Slughorn came over smiling. "How is it switching houses?"

"It's a relief," Avery smiled as she saw Snape come over.

"Avery, is every thing okay?" Snape asked coldly.

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Avery frowned slightly as she saw him narrow his eyes at Malfoy.

"Miss James, I came over to ask you something," Slughorn smiled. "I'm throwing a small party tonight and I was wondering of you would like to join."

"I don't have anything else planned so sure," Avery spoke and he smiled and left.

"Your doing better at talking with people," Snape commented before walking off.

"What was that about?" Draco asked.

"No idea," Avery muttered. "Guess I don't get to go to sleep early."

"Ah Miss James, welcome," Slughorn smiled as she entered the room.

"Sorry I'm late Professor, I got a little lost on the way," Avery smiled. Her hair was pulled up by jeweled pins and she was wearing a dark purple strapless dress that went to mid thigh and she was wearing black heels.

"Understandable my dear. Please enjoy yourself. Your father is over there."

"Thank you," Avery smiled then walked over and saw him looking at Cormac and Potter. She saw the first go pale and pulled Snape back right before he puked on Snapes shoes. "That is disgusting."

"Thank you Avery. You should be thankful, you almost got yourself detention," Snape looked at the pale boy before there was a commotion.

"Let go of me, you filthy squib!" Draco snarled.

"I just found this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor," filtch announced. "He claims he had been invited to your party..."

"Okay, okay. I was gatecrashing. Happy?" Draco snapped.

"I'll escort him out," Snape spoke as he walked over to him with Avery on his arm.

"Certainly Professor," Draco spoke as filtch let him go and the three of them left. As soon as they were in the hall, Avery let Snape drag Draco a ways away to scold him.

"Avery would you escort Mr Malfoy back to the commons?" Snape rose his voice and Avery came down the corridor to them and nodded.

"Night father," Avery smiled as she wrapped her arm around Draco's and pulled him down the hall back towards the dungeons.

"Did you hear the...?" Draco started as they reached the empty common rooms.

"Yes, I wasn't that far away from you," Avery spoke calmly. "I had my suspicions when I had gone to visit father and your mother as well as Belletrix came over. They thought I was just some servant at the time which was lucky. It all makes sense now."

"And your all calm about this?" Draco asked as he pulled her to look at him.

"It's not like you had a choice with the position your family is in," Avery spoke and lifted the sleeve of his left arm to show the bottom of his dark mark. "This is the reason that father didn't want people to know who I was, he didn't want me branded and tied to a life I didn't want. If I had been bothered about it then I wouldn't have switched houses."

Draco looked down at her and saw her pale skin glow in the fire light as she looked at him with her silvery blue eyes. He brought a hand up her bare arm to her cheek as he pulled her closer. Her eyes widened and he smirked as he pressed his lips to her cheek. He heard her gasp and looked at her, seeing a small blush grace his cheeks as she looked up at him in shock.

"Merry Christmas Avery," Draco whispered and walked off to his dorms, leaving behind a confused and surprised girl.